If you’re baffled by the various dress codes, then we understand. If you’re not dressing regularly for events, then things can get somewhat confusing. Luckily for you, we’re going to decode the idea of men’s semi-formal here. This way, you’ll have a decent idea of what it is, what you should be wearing, and when you should be wearing it.
What is Men's Semi-Formal Dress Code?
Men’s semi-formal dress is when you need something a bit more than ‘business casual’ (normally a nice shirt and some good trousers), but you don’t want to go full-blown formal. You’ll still look dressed-up, normally with some decent leather shoes, and typical formal colours. However, semi-formal clothing isn’t based on the formal clothing rules, which does mean that you can experiment a little with your style.
Basically, semi-formal is a less rules-based version of formal clothing.
When is Semi-Formal Dress Code Used?
Unless an event explicitly states that you should be wearing formal clothing, or business casual, then you’ll want to use semi-formal for these types of events:
- Weddings
- Cocktail parties
- Certain dinners, anniversary parties, etc.
- Certain work events
- More formal social meetings. For example, if you’re going out for a date at a nice restaurant.
Obviously, things vary from event to event, so you will likely need to make a judgement call. But, this is a pretty decent guide of where to get started.
Core Pieces of a Semi-Formal Outfit
So, what goes into a semi-formal outfit? As we said, while you can experiment a little bit, you can’t go too crazy. This isn’t casual clothing. You still need to look a bit smart. Let’s go through the various pieces that make up the outfit.
Suit
At the heart of many semi-formal looks, you’ve got a two-piece suit. You should always use either charcoal or grey. You can also have slight patterning on the suit, but the patterns should be very muted. Barely noticeable. Nothing that will draw attention, at least. It is essential that the fit of the suit is well-tailored. You want to look rather dapper.
In almost all cases, you probably won’t need a tie with your suit. But, again, this is something that will be a judgement call based on the event.
Blazer
You don’t need to commit to a two-piece suit for semi-formal clothing. Instead, you can go for a blazer instead. This may be ideal if you want to be a bit more casual. However, you will need to get yourself a good pair of casual trousers that contrast with the blazer i.e. doesn’t need to match, but should complement each other well.
One of the major benefits of going down the blazer route is that you can be more experimental. Always stick to solid colours on the blazer (ideally, some of the darker colours, not a bright red or anything), and you can add a touch of texture through your selected material.
Most people opt for a blazer. Judge based on the event.
Shirt
Your shirt should always be a button-down or dress shirt. Colours should always be neutral. Think white, and light blue. Unlike formal clothing you can have a bit of a pattern to the shirt. Some people have light stripes or check pattern, but don’t go too crazy on that. You still want to look respectable.
Trousers
Depending on the event and what you’re wearing, opt for either dress trousers or smart chinos. Again, don’t go crazy on the colours. Grey, beige, and navy work. If you want something a bit more unique but still smart, then olive could also work.
The trousers must fit properly.
Footwear
Always leather dress shoes. If something is labelled as Oxfords, Derbies, or loafers then it will probably work. Always opt for dark brown or black. This will work for most situations.
What Not to Wear to a Semi-Formal Event
Most of this should be common sense. This means no clothing that could come across as casual. So, nothing like this:
- Poor footwear. This means no trainers, flip-flops, or sandals. Well, the latter two could work for a beach wedding, but outside of that, no chance.
- T-shirts are a massive no.
- Jeans are an even bigger no.
- Graphic prints on your clothing? Too casual. Any pattern should be completely neutral.
- Basically ditch anything that could make you stand-out as not being dressed formal. This includes both clothing and accessories.
Semi-Formal vs Business Casual vs Formal
- Let’s compare the main clothing styles.
- For business casual, no need for a jacket. For semi-formal, always opt for a blazer or suit. Formal is a dark suit or tuxedo.
- Business casual works with more casual shirts. Polos and casual button-downs can work. The other two always require a good dress shirt.
- Business casual is for day-to-day office work and day-to-day business meetings.
Semi-formal is relaxed, but also on the formal side. Formal wear has strict rules. You’ll look very traditional in your look, and very stylish but you'll look overdressed for most situations.
As we’ve mentioned before, it shouldn’t be too difficult to choose the right clothing for your event. If formal is required, then it will almost certainly say so on the invite, or you can use your own knowledge to determine this. Casual is for more day-to-day use. If you attending a more ‘formal’ event but it doesn’t strictly say formal wear only, then semi-formal is a good choice.
Tips for Getting Semi-Formal Right
Firstly, always ensure that your semi-formal clothing fits properly. Work with a proper tailor for this. We also recommend that you properly groom yourself before an event because no matter how good your semi-formal clothing is, it just won’t work if you aren’t looking fantastic yourself.
Always opt for the classic formal colours. This means blues, greys, blacks, etc. Make sure colours coordinate. So, no black blazer and grey trousers.
Finally, if in doubt about what you should wear to an event, always overdress rather than underdress. You can’t go wrong! Our customer service team are always on hand for a chat a too.